Mother Knows Best
by waltzalascherzo
Summary: Emma Swan just wanted answers. She never asked for this. Cora's return to Regina and a weakness that endures. Character death. Swan Queen. Post Queen of Hearts.


**Mother Knows Best**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters contained within nor the shows from which they appear in. Any coincidence to real life is unintentional. This story is not used for profit and is for entertainment purposes only. Catch The Princess Bride reference.

**Summary: **Emma Swan just wanted answers. She never asked for this. Character death. Swan Queen. Post Queen of Hearts. Cora's return to Regina and a weakness that endures.

**Author's Note: **After "Queen of Hearts" I just couldn't. Set directly after the episode concludes. Goes against canon in a certain aspect. For logic purpose, hand-wave with a 'magic did it.' I'm not gifted at action sequences, so please excuse the novice errors. Past events are indicated by the italicized blocks.

* * *

Power…_True power_…endures.

* * *

Emma Swan wanted to punch herself in the face.

Maybe a clean left hook.

Nice, one, Swan. Now she just really wanted to break something.

It would be detrimental to beat herself up, literally as well as figuratively, so Emma simply plunged ahead and rang the doorbell to Regina Mills' mansion. Emma shifted from foot to foot, anxiously hoping that Regina wouldn't open the door at the same time praying she did. Not one for prayers, Emma was surprised when the door opened a crack and Regina's face peeked out from the darkness.

"What do you want?" The tone was a little less snippy than Emma expected.

"I wanna talk to you," Emma insisted when Regina made to close the door. She shoved against the solid wood and they struggled momentarily before Emma's raw strength won out. Regina's defeat led to the both of them stumbling back into the house, Emma nearly face-planting into the floor.

"Was that really necessary," Regina snarled and the venom was back in her voice as she slammed the door shut.

Emma straightened up instead of answering. "I didn't want to ask Gold," she said meekly under Regina's cross countenance.

"You couldn't bear to bask in your revelry any longer?" Regina snapped and brushed past Emma to the living room, an eerie mirror of Emma's arrival in Storybrooke.

Emma refused to tell Regina that her exultation at being home was marred by thoughts of magic, Cora and Regina herself. It was rather late and Emma had snuck out after her family had fallen asleep. "Regina, it would have been weird," Emma answered Regina's unspoken question instead and molded herself into the couch cushions haphazardly while Regina retained a prim and proper pose opposite her.

Draining her glass was Regina's answer. Emma rolled her eyes. Regina could be so childish, she thought sourly.

"Since you've sequestered yourself in my home, I suppose the sooner I indulge your whims the sooner you'll be gone," Regina sat her glass down and fixed her hair.

"Nice," Emma grumbled. "Look, it's like this. I can't sleep—"

"That's hardly a justifiable reason to barge in here, Miss Swan," Regina interrupted.

Emma scowled. "You were actually nice before, Regina, now you're all grumpy like when I first came here. What's your problem?"

It probably wasn't best for Emma to be provoking Regina when they were both hopped up on nerves and running on so little rest but Emma could never bring herself to walk away from the woman when things became confrontational.

"My problem is that _my son_ hates me and left me, no matter the fact that I saved your life!" Regina shouted, leaning forward aggressively.

"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch he wouldn't hate you!" Emma roared back and felt a crackling in the air in conjunction with the mounting tension between her and Regina. The woman was insufferable, Emma decided.

"Never mind, it was a stupid idea," Emma growled and pushed herself off the couch.

"You're going to leave me, too?" Regina screamed and Emma whirled around and slammed her hands on the coffee table to peer at Regina at eye-level.

"Yes," she drew out, drawing immense satisfaction at the outrage in Regina's eyes. However, Emma wasn't prepared to see something click behind Regina's eyes before they began to fill with water and Regina collapsed further into her seat.

Despite her intentions, Emma found herself sitting back down slowly, cautiously taking in Regina's ghastly complexion.

Regina gasped for air for a few moments before clearing her throat. "What would you like to know, Emma?"

This shocked Emma for several reasons. The first that Regina avoided called her by name through any means necessary—to hear it fall so softly from her lips was disconcerting. That Regina had snapped from tempestuous to docile in an instant filled Emma with fear. Emma had tried to forget how she had learned similar behaviours when she was younger: acting out to get attention and then snapping into perfect obedience to make sure she kept it.

It frightened Emma to see a dark connection between her and Regina. She was filled with pity and remorse before squelching it with the knowledge of Regina's actions.

"Gold says I have magic."

Emma expected Regina to act surprised or something. Instead she merely blinked and nodded.

"What? That's it? You just accept that?" Emma folded her arms petulantly.

"Yes," Regina stated. "You were born of True Love and that is…magic," she tapered off, eyes ghosting to a space above Emma's shoulder. Emma swiveled to follow Regina's focus but saw nothing. Sheepish, she turned back to see Regina glancing at her curiously.

"Yeah?" Emma squirmed under the gaze.

Regina blinked. "I suppose that's how we got the hat to work. You must have used your magic when…"she choked a little and looked away.

Emma drew her brows together as she struggled to remember what happened before she got whisked away from Storybrooke. She remembered wanting to help Regina—_save her_— and then she touched Regina's arm to provide…comfort? Emma chewed her lip uncomfortably at her recollection. The memory of Cora failing to pull out her heart came to mind. Perhaps her magic only worked when she was trying to save someone? Or was it a result of True Love and that's when she could use her magic? But she didn't love Regina, so that made no sense.

"Your mom couldn't take my heart," Emma said instead. Regina's horrified countenance surprised her, as well as the furtive glances over her person, as if Regina were checking to make sure Emma was unharmed. "I mean, she put her hand in and held it but she couldn't pull it out."

Regina continued to sit there, gaping at Emma's chest.

"Cora was trying to take my—Mary Margaret's heart," Emma stumbled over her words. "So she could give it to you," and Regina started shaking. Emma thought that was Regina wanted all along but apparently the thought of her mother terrified Regina more than the desire to kill Snow White.

"She said love was weakness," Emma whispered.

Regina swallowed and slowly brought her eyes to meet Emma's. "Yours is a heart made by True Love," she ventured. "Perhaps she could not take it because of that." Her hands were shaking even as she bunched the fabric of her pants tightly in her hands. Emma was filled with an urge to touch them.

"How do you use magic?" At Regina's confused look, Emma scratched her neck. "Your mom's pretty resourceful and, I dunno, she may find another way to you." She was too busy feeling awkward to notice Regina's breath hitch at her statement. "Like, how did you save us? Henry said that it looked like you absorbed the magic. Isn't that harmful magic? Are you okay? Is that why you're acting different?" Emma's train of thought caused her voice to speed up and fill with worry. Henry said that Regina was different but if she took in all the bad magic, it could affect her.

"It could be affecting me adversely," Regina mused, shoulders sagging. "I do feel rather unstable."

Emma couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that, amused to see Regina's answering one.

"I don't want to hurt Henry," Regina admitted at length. "But if that magic did fill me with its…negativity…I will be a danger to him." She raised glassy eyes to Emma's. "I don't know if I can control it."

Emma balled her hands into fists. "I _will_ protect Henry, Regina, even from you."

Regina only nodded.

Upon looking at Regina, Emma found her energy deflating. The anger she kept feeling towards Regina simmered down with each passing second. The broken look Regina sported was all too familiar to Emma, and she was disappointed to begin feeling sad for the woman before her.

"I'll take it."

Regina's head shot up at Emma's words, startling them both. "What?" Regina requested.

"Maybe if you focus your anger on me, you can control it. Make sure it only is directed at me instead of Henry or anyone else," Emma clarified, a strange pulsing sensation in the air. She wondered if it was the feeling of magic.

"You're not making any sense," Regina stammered, colour coming back to her cheeks. "You're saying you're going to intentionally provoke me into a rage to keep everyone safe?" Regina took a skeptical pose.

Emma nodded. "C'mon, Regina, we both know I can take anything you can dish out," she joked.

Regina shook her head. "Not when magic is involved."

Shrugging, Emma leant back into the couch. "I have magic, now, too. It'll be fine."

"Really, Miss Swan?" Regina rolled her eyes and Emma felt herself relax under the gesture.

"Yeah, I survived ogres, giants, zombies _and_ your mother," Emma boasted. "I think I can handle little old you," she teased.

Scoffing, Regina smirked back. Her smirk slowly slid away. "Henry will hate me for it."

Emma sighed. She hadn't considered that. "I'll talk to him, it'll be fine." She pouted defensively at Regina's clearly disbelieving look.

It would seem that she didn't leave Regina after all.

* * *

_Born a simple girl, Cora's dream were far from simple. A desire for more always reigned over her thoughts. Nothing was ever enough._

_She may have been born to peasants but Cora was a clever girl. When she learned of Rumplestiltskin she knew she would do anything to contact him and was not the least bit surprised when he answered her call. _

_Cora knew she was destined for greatness. A legacy. Her mark on the world. It would know her name._

_All it took was a simple promise: her unborn child in exchange for power. For power was freedom, this she knew long before her tutelage under the imp. Under his guidance, Cora learned of powers far greater than those she had witnessed in the countryside, and magic darker than the depths of hell itself. _

_The day finally came when Cora was to give birth to her child. She didn't understand how the other women she knew of complained of great pains and tribulation. The birthing process was fairly straightforward and simple. It was over in a manner of minutes._

_The child was unnaturally quiet and Cora felt a twinge of fear for the deal. Her power, her __**freedom**__, could be snatched away in an instant if this child failed to live. The child would be of no use to Rumplestiltskin dead._

"_Give the child to me," Cora demanded._

_The baby was thrust into her arms and Cora gazed into the deep, glassy eyes of her child. The infant made a gurgling sound, as if all the innate gentleness within it refused to cry. The girl flexed her hands around Cora's fingers._

_In that moment Cora felt weak._

_She broke her own rules and felt love, the greatest weakness of all. It prevented one from doing what one had to. Love was the ultimate prison, a sentence from which one could never be free. This was a terrible thing; she now wanted to keep her child._

_Rumplestiltskin would show soon, Cora knew and her mind raced frantically. There had to be a way around the deal, some loophole waiting to be exploited. Her child needed her. Cora was aware that Rumplestiltskin wanted a monster and her daughter was to be his sacrifice. There was no way to back out of that deal, but perhaps there was a way she could keep her daughter, convince him that she would be able to assist in his plans…_

_After all, her daughter was destined for greatness just like her mother. Her daughter would not be forced to be anything less than a Queen._

_**Regina**_**.**

* * *

It had been less than a week since Emma returned to Storybrooke but she could feel the tension mounting with every passing day. A deep foreboding haunted her waking moments, a feeling that something was coming. Emma's superpowers, as she was fond of calling them, seemed to magnify upon her return, the innate magic within her boosting them to an almost intolerable level. She idly wondered how Regina could stand having all that magic bubbling below the surface.

Emma had returned to her duties as Sheriff and now daughter/mother roles were filling her days up but she still managed to find a moment to go and spy on Regina. The mansion remained locked tightly and no matter when Emma drove or walked by, she was unable to behold Regina. The imposed barricade was helpful in keeping away any sort of conflict but after their conversation the other night, Emma was worried about the conflict brewing within Regina.

One day, Emma couldn't take it anymore, so, after enduring a weird conversation where Gold called in his favour from her to help him find his son, Emma and her parents found themselves standing before Regina's door. Her parents looked rather put out by being there but Emma couldn't care less. If Regina was slipping back into the Evil Queen, she could be hatching some sort of scheme to get Henry back.

Emma recoiled in shock as the door was yanked open just as she was about to knock on it. Regina looked put-together but Emma couldn't miss the conflict stewing in her eyes and the magic began rolling off Regina in waves. It was completely different from the time she had tried to get Jefferson's hat to work and Emma didn't like it one bit.

"And just what is your demand this time, Sheriff?" Regina bit out and Emma felt the adrenaline in her rise exponentially. "Are you here to tell me to stay away from my son? In case you've forgotten, I've been a better parent to him than any of you," she snarled as her eyes swept across Emma and her parents.

David and Snow scowled straight back and were on the verge of saying something when Emma cut them off. She had to draw the focus back on her. Emma steeled herself. "That's right," Emma declared, ignoring the confused looks from her parents. She had told them they were merely going to check on Regina, not lay a sort of Henry tariff on her, or, she supposed, ultimatum. Or maybe just a plain demand.

It was unreasonable and definitely not something a 'good' person would do out of the blue but Emma was just fine with that. She needed to speak in a language Regina understood and it was something her parents could never understand.

As expected, Regina exploded in front of her. The fire brought her eyes to life and energized her face, the snarl stretching her lips and Emma fixated on Regina's scar before glaring back.

"You will not keep my son from me!" Regina roared and her arms shot out towards Emma and she was catapulted backwards through the air via Regina's fury.

Her landing was her typical ungraceful sort and her mother was soon at her side, gently lifting her by the elbow. Emma only stared at Regina who looked horrified at what had just transpired. Her eyes flitted over Emma's body like the other night, taking a sort of injury inventory.

"You can't stop me," Emma antagonized further, ignoring her parent's futile protests. Her eyes remained locked with Regina's for several moments, never wavering even when a loud screech of tires echoed behind them. Snow and David looked to see who had arrived in such haste and Emma took the opportunity to step closer to Regina.

"Stop," Regina whispered when Emma drew near.

"You can't stop me," Emma repeated and let her eyes soften.

"Emma!" Regina and Emma turned as one as Snow called in alarm. Emma noticed that Red was panting heavily and was leaning against Snow for support, her face sporting various bleeding scratches.

"What is it?" Emma felt her fear mounting in anticipation. She had left…

"Henry, Regina's mother came and took Henry," Ruby made out between puffs of breath.

"No!" Regina cried and gripped Emma's arm.

Cora's words rang through Emma's head. "She'll kill him," she whispered amidst the gasps of the others.

Regina nodded emphatically. "Not until I'm there," she said and Emma felt her rage rise to the surface. She was the Saviour and she would stop at nothing to save her son. "Where would she have taken him?"

"What are you doing, Emma?" David demanded, advancing on her and Regina who gripped Emma tighter. "We can't bring Regina with—she could be in leagues with her mother for all we know," he scowled at Regina.

Regina dropped Emma's arm. "Did you forget that I _helped_ save your wife and daughter? And tried to trap my mother back in our world?" She snapped and David cowed instantly.

There was a hint of flames dancing between Regina's fingers and Emma took her hand, the flames instantly dying out between her fingers. Regina turned quickly to her, face open and honest. "You're right," Regina murmured, chagrined.

"We need to find Henry, _now_," Snow called from behind them. She didn't look pleased that Regina was included but neither did she appear angry about it. Emma knew she would have a lot of explaining to do later.

When they were all safe.

"There's no need for that," Emma heard before she felt her feet get pulled out from under her for the second time in a matter of minutes. She yanked Regina closer to her as they flew a short distance before dropping to the ground, a tangle of limbs. Emma registered the sound of Regina's dry sobs despite the rush of blood through her ears.

"Hello, dear," Cora smiled benignly down at her daughter.

* * *

_Love is weakness_.

* * *

_Rumplestiltskin chuckled when he arrived at Cora's home. The image of her cradling a child was far too comical. She must have known this, due to her back being shown to him._

"_I've come to collect, dearie," he giggled and she turned around and was the Cora he knew once more._

"_You said that you needed my daughter for her powers," Cora started. Rumplestiltskin eyed her cautiously. _

"_Indeed I did and you signed her over, so give her here!" He waggled his fingers impatiently. _

_Cora smiled and gripped the silent child in her arms possessively. "In the contract you stated that you only need her to do something for you. That's it."_

_Rumplestiltskin's lip curled in distaste. "And?" _

"_You don't need her until then," Cora reasoned. "I can help you," she wheedled, stepping closer. "Who better to raise her than I, your greatest student?" _

_Laughing, Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "And you think you can mold her into what I need? I need a monster, Cora, not a daughter," he threatened._

_Cora's smile never wavered. "In exchange for letting her stay with me until the time is right, you may curse her heart. If it shall never find a happy ending, then you'll have your monster." _

_Rumplestiltskin couldn't help the dark snicker that crawled up his throat. "Very well, then." He waved a hand over the child's heart. "This heart shall never find a happy ending."_

* * *

"Mother," Regina gasped as she struggled to raise herself off the ground. Emma had moved her hand from Regina's arm to her back as they stood together. Regina started shaking as she saw Henry's arm being clutched tightly by Cora, his face one of abject terror. "Mother, please, let him go," she pleaded.

"I've waited for your curse to break," Cora shook her head. "I knew you would lose everything, and that's when I would come, to _help_ you, like I always have," her cloying tone sent shivers down Regina's spine.

"Cora!" David yelled as he sprang upon her, his sword glinting in the sunlight.

"Stay away from her!" Regina broke free of Emma's grasp and felt the magic travel through her fingertips and materializes as branches to confine David. He crashed to the ground, sword skittering across the lawn. Emma raced for it but before Regina could trap her too, Snow tackled into Regina, sending them both tumbling down.

"Let him go!" Emma screamed at Cora and charged at her. Cora laughed and stood stock still in the face of Emma's rage.

"Mother!" Regina shrieked as Emma drew back her sword and plunged it straight into Cora's chest. Regina had thought Cora would use Henry to shield her but she felt nothing but dread as everyone stilled amidst Cora's chilling laughter, sword sticking out of her chest.

"It would seem fitting that since I could not take your heart, neither can you take mine," Cora laughed. Emma stared blankly at the point of entry, consternation settling into her face. Cora raised a hand and shoved Emma back with magic. She crumpled into a heap next to Regina and Snow.

"Come, dear, although I have no compunctions about taking this boy's life, I'm sure you haven't forgotten what I've taught you."

"Love is weakness," Regina's answer came swiftly, her eyes closing half-way.

Snow made to restrain Regina but Cora lifted a hand and branches rose from the earth to pin her down like her husband. She struggled valiantly against her bonds as Regina began crawling towards Cora. Emma, still weakened, grabbed at Regina's ankle.

"Regina! Stop!"

Regina rolled her head to view Emma and lazily waved a hand at Emma. Emma scrunched her eyes in preparation for another magical attack but opened them when a flutter of wings sent a warm gust across her body. Regina's brows had furrowed in bewilderment as purple butterflies flew around Emma instead of the wooden restraints she had planned on.

"No," a disoriented Regina murmured and then she started kicking ferociously at Emma. She landed a clean shot on Emma's cheek which freed her leg.

Regina stood shakily and began stumbling towards her mother and Henry.

"That's right," Cora's voice dripped with exultant pride as her daughter made her way to Cora, a trail of devastation in her wake. She flicked a wrist and Emma–who was quickly recovering from Regina's attack– was knocked back to the ground, wrists and ankles restrained. "You know what you have to do," Cora cajoled.

Henry looked up at Regina, distaste and terror fighting for dominance. "I should have known you'd always be evil."

Regina's face crumpled at the statement. She blinked and looked back towards her mother.

"When you take his heart, it will be yours forever," Cora whispered.

"Henry!" Emma struggled against her bonds before ripping through them entirely. Cora snorted in fury and Regina turned to see Emma scrabbling for the sword lying at her feet before grasping it, launching herself off the ground and started running towards Cora.

"Come, Saviour!" Cora taunted and dragged Henry closer to her. "Kill my daughter before I kill your son. Or are you too pure to do it?"

Regina blinked wearily as Emma screeched to halt, the tip of the sword inches from Regina's heart. She knew her mother had banked on the good in Emma's heart. Her heart wasn't even beating quickly, Regina realized as she looked into Emma's eyes. They were watering at an alarming rate, bouncing between Henry and Regina.

The moment her eyes locked with Emma's, Regina could feel everything drop away, a deep silence overcoming her. A distant heartbeat was thumping rapidly and Regina squinted in surprise. It wasn't her heart…

And then she remembered.

A heart–box in Wonderland that glowed an incandescent golden hue, warmth emanating from it, inviting and comforting.

Henry smiling up at her.

Snow hugging her.

Daniel caressing her face.

Emma coming back for her.

Regina lunged forward in order to place her hands on top of Emma's, grasping the hilt of the sword tightly. Emma mewled Regina's name quietly as they locked eyes.

Emma remains paralyzed and Regina finally breaks free from the evil she absorbed.

"It's fitting that we both die."

Regina yanked her arms backwards and plunged the blade into her heart.

* * *

_Cora continued to deliberate as Regina started to coo softly. Her arms began to rock Regina in a steady rhythm that contrasted to the frantic pace her mind was taking. _

_How would she create a monster?_

_She couldn't very well give up Regina to Rumplestiltskin; she was Cora's. Regina would continue Cora's dreams, she would learn as Cora had and she would achieve far more. Of this Cora was certain. There was no getting around that she would have to let Rumplestiltskin have Regina at some point; the question was how to keep Regina in spite of it? Regina gurgled and Cora moved a hand to pull the blanket tighter around Regina's body._

_It hit her then._

_The heartbeat._

_Regina's heart thumped steadily under Cora's hand._

_That was __**it**__._

_No one could keep Regina safe but Cora and there was one way to guarantee that._

* * *

"Regina!" Emma wailed at the same time as Henry. Regina and Cora both began to collapse to the ground and the restraints holding David and Snow were released, both of them scrambling to shield Henry. Emma dropped to her knees, shifting so that Regina dove into her arms and positioned Regina so that she was lying on her back, her hand limply straining to reach across the several feet separating her from her mother's.

Ruby must have bolted for assistance for the sounds of tires screeching and shouts were climbing in the distance but Emma paid no heed to them.

"How very clever of you," Cora coughed as she began to inch her way towards Regina. "Tell me, Regina, how you figured it out."

The tears flowing out of Regina's eyes had to be due to the pain, Emma told herself.

"Because _I'm_ your greatest weakness, too," Regina faintly answered, her fingers flexing to find purchase.

Despite her weakened state, Cora let out a low-pitched chortle. "And I told you it was weakness, didn't I?" Not waiting for an answer she continued crawling towards Regina, Emma too frozen to move further away. "I've only desired greatness, your happiness, your love." Cora's distant confessions were beginning to bury themselves in the dirt.

Regina's answer was indistinct as Cora's fingertips reached Regina's own dangling ones.

Emma scooted closer as a gentle wind of magic blew around her and a withered rose appeared in Cora's hands. A nearly imperceptible noise left Regina as she beheld the flower. She weakly craned her neck to gaze up at Emma.

"Once, my mother told me a story," Regina murmured, breaths shallow against Emma's chest. "She told me about power. How true power endures."

"God, Regina," Emma choked. She had killed Regina and Cora both in one fell swoop.

_Saviour. _

"It was magic, Emma," Regina rasped, a rivulet of blood winding its way out of the corner of her mouth. "And True Love is most powerful magic of all."

Regina's other hand weakly made its way to ghost against Emma's cheek.

"Mom," Henry's pained cry broke through the haze Emma was in. He skidded to a halt, next to Regina's body, tears coursing down his cheeks. "I didn't mean it, it's not true," he stammered frantically. Regina smiled wanly at him.

"I love you," she exhales and something in her chest rattled audibly and she went inexplicably limp against Emma's arms the same time Cora's head finally dropped to the ground.

* * *

"Shut up," Emma growled at Killian as she viciously hacked at the vines in front of her.

"I'm just saying—"

"I said _shut up_," Emma dropped her voice an octave and it finally garnered her silence. It had taken her years to find the Rabbit Hole back in Storybrooke and he was the only one she could convince to show her where Cora's chamber was.

Letting out a huff of celebration, Emma finally saw her destination before her. A few quick strides brought her into the heart of Cora's chamber in Wonderland.

"Which one is hers?"

Emma turned slightly to see Henry, Snow and David crowding the entrance to the chamber, a peevish Hook smashed against the side of the wall.

"That's what I was trying to ask," he muttered. Henry sneered at him before using his shoulder to throw a bit more weight against Hook to squish him further against the wall.

"Henry," Emma chided. The years had aged him well and he was beginning to develop well under David's tutelage. Sometimes though, Emma could catch a glimpse of Regina in him, instead of her or Neal. It would usually manifest in his darker actions but every once in awhile he would get a sad look in his eyes and when Emma would inquire about it further, he would turn to smile at her and she would have to remind herself that Regina was dead.

"I'll know," Emma stated confidently, turning so it would be harder for Henry to spot her lie. Her magic had developed steadily throughout the years but she still had no idea how to accomplish certain tasks, like finding Regina's real heart. Jefferson told her that Regina had used her father's heart and simply magicked him a body.

Bullshit, Emma grumbled. Regina's body was safe back in Storybrooke and Emma would return her heart. That wouldn't require any fantastic feats of magical prowess. Gold had gone off to live a magic-free life, supposedly, with his son and Emma sure as hell wasn't about to ask him for help for this task.

Glancing around the chamber, Emma felt her courage and self-assuredness drain rapidly. There were just _so many_.

Emma closed her eyes. A faint heartbeat finally caught her attention, growing louder as she blindly stumbled around the chamber and her hand shot out and smacked loudly against a box. Emma peeled one eye open to see a glow emanating from the box under her palm. She grinned.

* * *

_There was a voice humming softly, a faint lullaby._

_It wasn't a song of music. _

_It was merely an "I love you." _

_Cora let Regina continue to play with her fingers, the baby enthralled by the simple action. "Regina means 'Queen.'" Cora glanced over Regina's body where her heart now lay. "You're the Queen of Hearts."_

* * *

"This will work, right, Mom?" Henry hovered over Emma's shoulder. She smirked wryly back at him.

"'Course it will," Emma reassured. The trembling of her hands caused the heart–box nestled between them to jiggle.

Taking a deep breath, Emma unlocked the box and swallowed back her apprehension.

A real, live heart— Emma internally freaked out. She gingerly cradled the organ in her hands and nodded her head. Her father, mother and Henry grunted with effort as they lifted the lid on Regina's coffin. The magic spell placed upon her by the Blue Fairy at Emma's behest had preserved Regina perfectly. Whale had cleaned up the stab wound and the clothes were replaced so it merely looked as if Regina were in a deep slumber.

Emma had no idea how to go about it. Cora had only tried to take her heart and Hook had explained in no less than vague terms that one could simply plunge the heart back into a person, so her doubts about her ability to do this were slim. Her hands held the heart aloft above Regina's chest.

"You left me," Emma murmured against the heart and scrunched her eyes shut. Taking a deep breath and concentrating, Emma willed the magic within her to gather in her hands. It was a most disconcerting feeling for her to shove her hands into Regina's chest, magic seeming to bend the flesh and bone, and a most strange sensation of the heart molding back into its proper place. Emma yanked her hands out of Regina's chest cavity quickly and waited with bated breath.

Emma prayed.

Regina's eyes fluttered open the second she inhaled.

"It would seem that I returned," Regina uttered softly.

Emma exhaled.


End file.
